Following its acclaimed debut season at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre, the smash hit new musical, The Lucky Country, about what it means to be Australian, will open at Melbourne’s Lawler Theatre from Monday 13 October, before heading to Brisbane Powerhouse as part of MELT Festival.
With an original score that pays homage to some of Australia’s greatest musicians, this 60-minute chamber musical takes audiences on a joyful and moving ride through a patchwork of Aussie stories. Digging deep into the themes of identity and belonging, The Lucky Country is a heartfelt and wildly entertaining celebration of who we can be as Australians.
Created by two of Australia’s most exciting theatre-makers, composer and lyricist Vidya Makan (Hamilton, SIX) and Director Sonya Suares (Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George),The Lucky Country reclaims and reimagines the national songbook. Featuring a thrilling soundtrack performed live by a five-piece band (featuring yidaki on didgeridoo) and an outstanding ensemble of six performers.
Composer and lyricist Vidya Makan said:
“We wanted the music to feel instantly familiar — like flipping through the radio dial of Australia. You’ll hear echoes of Baker Boy, Jimmy Barnes, Kylie, The Seekers, Electric Fields plus loads more — all remixed through a contemporary lens that feels uniquely ours.”
Meet Boy, a 13-year-old Thiitharr Warra kid, whose youthful optimism is dashed when he clashes with his teacher’s notion of ‘our shared history’. It sparks a journey of self-actualisation that leads him back to Country and a moment of truth.
While Boy grapples with the fault lines in our national story, we encounter a collection of all-Aussie characters. These include grey nomads who find love on a Contiki tour, a Chinese Australian restaurateur who dreams of life as a Byron Bay nudist, a young refugee in Mingoola, a WW2 veteran, an aspiring actress and a fake Russian choir.
Critics praised the 2023 debut season at Hayes Theatre Sydney:
“Touches the sublime … instantly unforgettable… It’s remarkable…Playful, witty and disarming… Makan is a gifted storyteller.” Sydney Morning Herald, ★★★★1/2
“…a profoundly new Australian musical with songs that are unassuming, hilarious and arresting in their exploration of the experience of those in the margins.” Time Out ★★★★
“The Lucky Country is the Australian musical we’ve been needing.” Broadway World ★★★★
Director Sonya Suares said:
“This is a show that claims space for the voices and perspectives that tend to be overlooked when Australia tells its story. It’s cheeky. It’s irreverent. At times it pops off like a rocket. But at its core, it’s an invitation to gather, reflect, rethink where we’ve been and how we might move forward together.”
The full cast for the Melbourne and Brisbane season will be announced soon.
The Lucky Country runs from 13 – 18 October at Southbank Theatre, The Lawler, 140 Southbank Boulevard Southbank.
It then transfers to Brisbane and runs at Brisbane Powerhouse as part of MELT Festival from 22 – 25 October.
Tickets: https://tickets.mtc.com.au/production/19658
Website: https://www.luckycountrymusical.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/luckycountrymusical/
Image supplied.
